Cantilevered seat

ABSTRACT

A seat has an integral frame which forms a bottom and back and is cantilevered at one end thereof from a vertical support.

United States Patent 1 [1111 3,802,738 Tantlinger I Apr. 9,1974

[ 4] CANTILEVERED SEAT V V I v [75] Inventor: Keith W. Tantlin'ger, Rancho Santa e nce Cited Fe, Calif- UNITED STATES PATENTS [73] Assignee: Rohr Corporation, Chula Vista, 3,619,006 v .ll/197l Barecki 297/450 Calif. 3,630,566 12/1971 Barecki 3,020,087 2/1962 Mackiin..... 1 Flled= July 3,1972 3,482,875 12/1969 Bare cki...

[21] AppLNoJugz-m 2,547.446 4/1957 Dean "I: 5/911 Related US. Application Data Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 65,958. Aug. 2!, 1970,

b d d. a [57] ABSTRACT Cl 97/232, 297/ 2 A seat has an integral frame which forms a bottom 2 /445 and back and is cantilevered at one end thereof from [51] Int. Cl. A47C 7/20, B6011 1/00 a vertical support,

[58] FieldoiSearch 296/63, 64,93, 28A; a

297/445,;450, 454,158,183, 232-, 244 r 1 v msJD Figures PATENTEDAPR 9 m4 SHEU 1 BF 2 INVENTOR KEITH W TANTLINGER M? G m ATTORNEY PAIENTEBAPR 9 I874 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTCR. KEITH w. TANTLINGE'R ME 4mm AT TORN EY CANTILEVERED SEAT SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a seat and more particularly to a seat that is designed for use in public carriers such as buses, trains, and aircraft.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a lightweight frame which forms the bottom and back of an elongate seat accommodating two people. Mounting members are fixedly secured to a vertically extendingsupport on which the seat is mounted, and are provided with horizontally extending projections which fit closely within holes formed in portions of the aforesaid frame at one end thereof. Pins extend through holes in the frame and holes in the projections of the mounting members, thereby connecting the frame in cantilevered. relation to the support. Cushions are positioned on adjacent sides of the bottom and back of the frame, and preferably a unitary molded shell, or cover, is fastened to the back, bottom and ends of the frame. The frame may also have an arm rest integrally formed on each end thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a'pictorial, view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the -'seat illustrated in FIG. 1, taken from, the same viewpoint but with parts removed and broken away so that structure can be seen, pins which anchor the seat to mounting members secured to a wall being shown, in exploded relation to as sociated components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION frame 16 comprises a pair of tubular beams 18, 20

which are disposed in spaced, parallel relation and have a square cross section, said beams being welded at their ends to the generally horizontally disposed sections of two L-shaped end members 22, 24. Crossbars 26, 28 extend between and are welded to the beams to thereby increase the rigidity of the bottom portion of the frame. A main brace 30 is welded at one end to end member 24 adjacent the upper end thereof and at the other end to end member 22 and beam 20. The ends of two horizontally disposed members 32, 34 likewise are welded to the end members, member 32 being located approximately at the middle of the upright portions of said end members and member 34 being located at the upper ends thereof. In addition, a horizontally disposed rail 36 extends lengthwise of said member 34 and is mounted thereto by vertically extending members 38, 40, 42, and vertically disposed members 44, 46 respectively extend between and are joined to said members 32, 34 and beam 20. A pair of upright supports 50, 52, 54, 56 are welded at their lower ends to the horizontal portion of each end member 22, 24 and at their uppe'r ends to the lower side of a generally horizontal arm rest 58 60, the latter being also welded to the upstanding portion of the end member and a panel 62, 64 being fixedly attached to the inner sides of the associated supports. Mounted on the end of rail 38 which is remote from wall 12 is a short hand grip 66. As can be seen in FIG. 2 wherein portions of the inner panel of wall 12 are broken away, three mounting members. are at-' tached to vertically extending ribs 68, 70 of said wall by means of machine screws 72, said mounting members being designated generally by reference numbers 74, 75, 76 and each comprising a plate 78 one side of which conformably abuts said wall and a projection 80 whichextends laterally from said plate. Mounting members 74 and 75 are located so that their projections 80 are respectively receivable within the adjacent ends of the tubular beams 18, 20.. Similarly, mounting member 76 is located so that its projection 80 is receivable within a short tube'82 which projects laterally from end member 24 adjacent the upper end thereof. A vertical hole (not shown) is formed in the projection 80 of each mounting member and holes 84 are formed in beams 18, 20 and tube 82 so as to respectively align with the holes in the projections when seat 10 is situated in the desired position relative to wall 12. Pins 86 are respecti'velyremovably positioned within the aforesaid associated groups-of holes to secure the'seat to the mounting members. Lastly, the seat is provided with conventional springs 88 and cushions 90, 92, 94 (see FIG. 1 also) and with a molded plastic shell 96 which covers the back, bottom, and ends of frame 16.

The seat which has been disclosed is particularly advantageousfor use in public carriers such as buses, trains, and aircraft, since'it is light in weight, durably constructed, and pleasing in appearance. Furthermore, its design facilitates cleaning of such carriers, as the space between the'seat and'a floor is completely open and accessible. In addition, removal and replacement of a seat having the described mounting arrangement can be effected quickly and conveniently.

I It will be obvious that variousmodifications can be made in the construction and arrangement of the disclosed seat without departing from'the basic design thereof. For example, plates corresponding to plates 78 of mounting members 72, 74, 76 may be welded to one end of frame 16 and secured to a wall or-other vertically extending support by screws or bolts, thus pennitting the seat to be removed for repairs or replacement. Hence the scope of the invention should be considered to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

of the seat to the side wall, said seat comprising a unitary framework structure forming seat and back por: tions and including load-bearing members providing said cantilevered support, said mounting means comprising complimentary means attached to said side wall structural members and to said unitary framework structure at spaced points on said one end of the seat,

said framework comprising spaced parallel tubular members one of which is common to said seat and back portions, L-shaped end members secured to the tubular members, and a main brace member secured at one end thereof to the upper end portion of the L-shaped end member adjacent the side wall and secured at the other end thereof to the other of said L-shaped end members and to said common member,

said side wall structural members constitute vertically extending ribs, and said complimentary mounting means comprise plates secured to said ribs and having projections receivable into and releasably secured to complimentary framework tubular members. 2. A cantilevered seat for passenger vehicles comprising a unitary structure having seat and back portions, said seat portion comprising a framework having spaced parallel tubular members of non-circular cross section, said back portion comprising a framework having spaced parallel members of which oneis common with said seat members, a pair of end members of L- shaped configuration secured to said seat and back members at opposite ends thereof respectively for integrating said seat and back portions into said unitary structure, and means attached to one of said L-shaped members at three spaced points thereon for securing the seat to a vehicle wall thereby to cantilever support for the seat therefrom, said back portion framework including a structural member disposed obliquely across said back portion, said back seat portion framework having a vertical member parallel to the L members and a longitudinal member disposed between its tubular members, said oblique, vertical and longitudinal membersintersecting at a common point. 

1. In combination with a passenger vehicle side wall having structural members extending upwardly from the vehicle floor, an elongated seat cantilevered at one end thereof from said side wall to provide support on the seat thereof and spaced above such floor without requiring any subjacent support for the seat thereof, and mounting means for releasably attaching said end of the seat to the side wall, said seat comprising a unitary framework structure forming seat and back portions and including load-bearing members providing said cantilevered support, said mounting means comprising complimentary means attached to said side wall structural members and to said unitary framework structure at spaced points on said one end of the seat, said framework comprising spaced parallel tubular members one of which is common to said seat and back portions, L-shaped end members secured to the tubular members, and a main brace member secured at one end thereof to the upper end portion of the Lshaped end member adjacent the side wall and secured at the other end thereof to the other of said L-shaped end members and to said common member, said side wall structural members constitute vertically extending ribs, and said complimentary mounting means comprise plates secured to said ribs and having projections receivable into and releasablY secured to complimentary framework tubular members.
 2. A cantilevered seat for passenger vehicles comprising a unitary structure having seat and back portions, said seat portion comprising a framework having spaced parallel tubular members of non-circular cross section, said back portion comprising a framework having spaced parallel members of which one is common with said seat members, a pair of end members of L-shaped configuration secured to said seat and back members at opposite ends thereof respectively for integrating said seat and back portions into said unitary structure, and means attached to one of said L-shaped members at three spaced points thereon for securing the seat to a vehicle wall thereby to cantilever support for the seat therefrom, said back portion framework including a structural member disposed obliquely across said back portion, said back seat portion framework having a vertical member parallel to the L members and a longitudinal member disposed between its tubular members, said oblique, vertical and longitudinal members intersecting at a common point. 